Caracas, April 19, SPA -- Venezuela President Hugo Chavez is considering naming an ambassador to the United States, signaling a shift in the relations between the two nations -- one that the Obama administration welcomed. "It is possible we will begin evaluating the designation of an ambassador in the United States," Chavez said in a statement Saturday after the meeting of leaders and representatives from 34 countries at the fifth Summit of the Americas. "We want to move in that direction." A senior Obama administration official told CNN late Saturday that Chavez had approached Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss returning ambassadors to posts in Caracas and Washington. "This is a positive development that will help advance U.S. interests," the official said. "And, the State Department will now work to further this shared goal."--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/655918